Alarm for



(No Model.) l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. FINGER.' ALARM `Pola,I DBfLBGtLINGV D Exjotrs IN INSULATING poNDUqmRs.

No. 257,683. T Patented May 9, 1.882.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L. FING-BR.

ALARM FOR DETAEGTING DEFEGTS IN INSULATING GONDUGTQRS. No. 257,683. I Patented May 9, `1882.

`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS FINGER, OF

MELROSE, ASSIGNOR. OF ONE-HALF TO LEWIS S. JUDD, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

ALARM FOR`DETECTlNG DEFECIS'IN INSULATING CONDUCTORS.,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,683, dated May 9, 1882.

Application filed September 2B, i881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS FINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, in Vthe county of Middlesex and State of Massa- 5 chusetts, have invented certain new and usel'ul Improvements in Automat ic Alarms for Delectin g Defects in Insulated Wire Belts or Oa bles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the in- Io vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference'being had to the accompanyin g drawings, and to letters origures ot' reference marked thereon, which forni a part of 15 this specification. This inventionis an accessory to machinery for manufacturing a class ot insulated telegraph or telephone or kindred wires or cables, which are composed of a cluster ot' `wires emzo bedded or enveloped in a compound of rubber or other insulating material, and insulated' from each other by such material, the purpose ot my invention being to provide such machinery with a device or apparatus which shall 2 5 automatically give notice of the inclosingiu the insulating, envelope ot' two or more wires which may accidentally get in contact or electric connection prior to or while being inelosed, as well as to give like notice upon stripping of 3o i the insulating material from one or more wires in any 'given spot; and I carry out my object by alternately polarizing the wires by connecting their front ends, as they are, about to be run upon the reel in the completed cable, al- 3 5 ternately to opposite poles of a battery, and l polarize the compressing-rolls in pairs by snitable connections with the same battery, but to .poles of the latter opposite those to which the wires passing between saidpairs of rolls are 4o connected, as it is necessary to the operation ot' my invention that the wires shall he ot' opposite polarity to the rolls through which they pass, the whole being so arranged that upon accidental electric union of two or more ofthe 45 telegraph-wires, or the stripping of a portion to any extent in the insulating materiahor 5o before the exposed wires pass on andi are stored upon the reel, without detection.

Telegraph or kindred wires or cables for un dergronnd and other service are now iliade to a considerable extent by inclosing a clusterot 55 single wires within a mass of rubber compound or other suitableinsulatng material, the inode of manufacturing these insulated wires or-cables which I have selected in the present instance to illustrate the application ot' my in- 6o vention being to employ two con tinuous bands Orstrips ot' the suitable insulating material, secured together at one end and wound upon aV reel together, with the wires `inelosed between thel'mand the wholebonnd together by 65 the adhesionor incorporation ofthe two bauds, the wires being stored upon a suitable spool or drum, and introduced between the bands as the latter pass through the compressingrolls. In the manufacture ot this class of wires '1o or cables it often occurs that two or more adjacent wires become connected while being buried or inelosed in the insulating-envelope, and when put to use the cable is impaired,

and this evil is not detected until too late to 75 t remedy it at the proper time. Again, the insulatingcovering may become stripped in places from the wires in passing the compress- `ing-rolls, thereby exposing the wires to corro ant of the machine notice thatsomething is 9oV wrong.

l The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure l, a plan view ot' a machine provided with my. invention; Fig. 2, a side ele Yation ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a hori- 95 zontal section taken through the hub and shaft ot'the storing-reel. Figa is a cross-section of said shaft and its electric connections. Fig.

l ranged in a. horizontal plane, and these wiresf are shown at a t t a., and are led from adrum z or series of spools of non-conducting material 5 is a vertical section of the compressing-rolls. Fig. Gis ahorizontal section. Fig. 7 is a rear View, and Fig. 8 a vertical section, of a modified construction of the compressing-rolls and their adjuncts.

Reference being had to the above-named drawings, it will be seen that A B represent two bands of insulating material as leading from the reels containing them, and entering between the series of peripherally -grooved compressing-rollers g' g2 g" g4, to be hereinafter explained, the rollers being supported in the tops of upright standards or housings F F', erected upon the floor of the apartment containing the machine.

In the present instance I have shown a cluster of parallel wires, four in number, ar-

to and through a series, b b', of peripherallygrooved rolls mountedone over the other npl on horizontal shafts c d, supported in the upper front part of the housings F F', such rolls being of any suitable insulating material `to prevent electric connection with the wires passing between them.

G H in the drawings represent the two series of peripherally-grooved compressing-rolls before alluded to, these rolls being mounted vupon horizontal shafts G' H' of active conductinglmetal supported in the upper parts of the standards F F in rear of the series of guide-rolls b b', and serving to compress the insulating-bands together and contne the wires between them, the peripheral grooves of the rolls permitting ofthe passage ofthe wires. f I represents a reel upon which the completed wire vor cable is stored, while J represents such completed wire or cable, the shaft ofthe reel I being shown at K as mounted horizontally iu upright standards L L, erected upon the floor of the machine in rear of the stainlards F F', and these standards L L must be insulated.

In order the lnore clearly to illustrate the operation of my apparatus, I have shown the 7 individual rolls ot' the series b at c c c e, of the series b' atffff, of the series G at g' g2 g g4, and ot' the series II at It' h2 hhtfeach ot' the rolls e j being peripherally grooved to guide the wires and deliver them in proper order to the compressing-rolls, the said rolls cf being, as before stated, of an insulating material.

The object of using feed-rolls of insulating material is to prevent the closing ot' the circuit at this point.

Each alternate roll (l and 3 and 2 and 4) of the series GH is ot' like polarity, and each roll is insulated from its neighbor ori the same shaft, and the rolls of the same polarity in each series are connected with one pole ot' a battery.

Each roll ofthe series G Il is ofliltc polarity Vwith the one above or below it, and each pair -is of different polarity with the wire passing between them.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown one method of mounting and connecting the rolls g h. In this figure each roll No. l has atubular hub, b2, which is insulated from the standards F F', and is supported and revolves in the upper part of the standard F, and this hub and the roll are insulated from the shaft by a bushing, c2, of any suitable insulating material inserted between the two, this bushing also serving to insulate the rolls No. 2 from said rolls No. 1. l

Therolls numbered g2 h2 0471.4 are secured fast directly to their respect-ive shafts, andare in electric connection by such shaft, which is an active conductor, but..are insulated from rolls g3 h3 by a bushing, d2, inserted in the bore of each of these rolls g3 h3, and encircling the shaft, suoli bushing extending beyond the ends of the rolls g3 h3 and meeting the rolls g2 h2 g4 h4, `and serving also vto insulate the rolls g3 hf from their respective shafts.

The electric connection between the rolls g' f/3 h' h3 of each series, which are insulated from the shaft, is by means of a rod, e2, of good conducting metal, uniting said rolls g g3 and t' h3 and passing through the rolls g2 h2, and insulated from the latter by a bushing, ,f, of insulating material. Proceeding, I secure to the hub or drum t'of the reel I two metallic eonductingrods,j h, which extend outside of the said hub 'i and through pole-cups l mfse cured to the shaft K of said'reel. y

M N in the drawings represent two Iiat rings 'or endless bands of effective conducting material encircling and rotating with the shaft K of the reel I, and connecting with the pole- K, while in connection with these endless conductors M N, I employ two plate-springs, O I, also of conducting metal, and whichare secured at'their bases to the standard L with ductors M N. The plate or conductor 0 is connected by a pole cup, lr", with one end of a wire, a, and conductor P by a polccup, f, with one end of a wire, o. The wire a leads to and connects at its opposite end with an electric bell, Q, while the wire o connects at its opposite end with one pole of a battery, A4. The opposite pole of the battery A4 connects with the bell above named by a wire, r.

Previous to beginningthe storing ofthe coinpleted wire or cable upon the reel I, I secure or connect cach alternate wire a to one polecup, k, and the intermediate wires to the opposite pole-cup, Z, (sec Figs. 4 and 5,) itbeing es'- sential that the connection of the respective wires with the poles of the battery shall be such that the polarity of any given wire shall be the opposite of that ofthe pair of rolls g h, through which such wire passes, in order, as before stated, to avoid electric connection bctween such rolls and wires.

In the present instance wires Nos. l and3 connect with the rod or polej, pole-cup Z, conductors N P, a-nd battery-wire o, while wires I Nos. 2 and 4 connect with the pole or rod 7c,

TOO

cups lm by wires ginsertcd within the shaft IOS their free ends in contact with the, said con- IIO IZO

polefcup in, conductors M O, and bell-wire n. Asa sequence, the rod or polejeonnects with the pole-cup Z, conductors N P, and wire o, and the pole 7c with cup m, conductors M O, and wire it. (See Fig. 6 of the drawings.)

Under the above-described arrangement of parts, if any ot' two adjacent wires a-become. accidentally connected (which is often the case by arsliver from one touching the other, or one wire being bent and getting access to another) as they are being inclosed between the bandsB O of insulating" material in their passage between the series G H of compressingrolls, an electric circuit in which the bell Q is included is instantly closed and the bell rung. For instance, if wire l get in contact with wire 2 (of opposite polarity) a circuit is closed, for the reason that the wire 1, as before stated, connects with one pole of the batter Y by way of the rod or polej, cup l, eouductorsNP, and wire o, while wire 2 connects, b vlway ot' the pole or rod lr, cup in, conductors M and wire a, with the hell, while the bell, in turn, is connected with the opposite pole of the but` tery by the wire i', as before stated, thus closing the circuit and ringing the bell, and this ringing will continue until the machine-Winder .separates and properly rearranges the wires.

Thus far I have described my invention as adapted to sound an alarm in-the event ot'two or Vmore wires getting accidentally fouled while being inclosed in the insulating-baiids. As it may happen that one or both of these bands become torn in passing between the coin pressing-rolls, and thereby expose one or more ot' the wires, I have adapted niy'apparatus to sound an alarm at this juncture, and I carry out this feature of my invention as follows:

To the outer end of the hub b2 ot' cach roll g' h, I secure a circular hub, t or u, ot' conducting nietal, and iii connection with these hubs I employ two plate-springs or conductors,

Y -ii iv, which are insulated from the housing F,

and are mounted at their bases to a common pole-cup, fr, which is secured to the said housing F and connects. by a wire., w', with the electric bell Q, while the free ends ot` the conductors fu w rest respectively in contact with the peipheries ofthe hubs t u. Continuing, I secure to the front end of each shaftGH/,as it protriides b eyond the hub t or u, a circular hub, g/ or a, of couductingmetal, and in con nection therewithl employ a second pair, c'f, of plate-spring conductors, which are secured at their bases to a pole-clip, y, insulated from the housingF and also secured to it, and connected with one pole ofthe battery by a wire, gi,join ing the wire o, before nauied, the free ends ot' the conductors c'f' bearingrespectively upon the peripheries of the hubs y z.

Hubs t u are ofthe same polarityas and are in electric connection with the rolls g g3 h h3 and wires (t2 a4, while the hubs y a are in coniiection with and of the saine polarity as the rolls g2 g4 h2 h4 and wires a a3. Hence the hubs t u, rolls g g3 and 7L h3, and wires a2 a* are in connection with the'bell, and the hubs y z,

rolls g2 g4 h2 h4, wires a e3 with one pole oftheV the bell by wire i' to that pole ot the battery opposite the pole connected with the wire a', the bell being thereby sounded and continuing to sound until the machine is stopped and the tracturedinsulation repaired.

In order that the apparatus shall be very sensitive in detecting the connection between the wires or the exposure ot' one or more wires and instantaneous in sounding the alarm, I propose to include in the electric circuit a galvaiiometer which possesses a coil of large resistance. l

In lieu of mounting the series G Il of rolls upon their shafts and securing the duial springplate coudiietors o w e f 'to pole-cups secured to the housing F and bearing upon the periphcries` ofthe hubs t u y z, as explained, the entire series of coinpressing-rolls uiay be insulated fromtheir shafts and from each other and the spring-plate conductors placed over and below such rolls andV supported upon bars spanning the housings. In this case (see Figs. 7, 8,`and 9 of the drawings) two pairs, Z3 l* l5 l, of platesprings are combined with the upper coinpressing-rolls, g, and two similar pairs of plate-springs, m3 m4 m5 in, with the lower of such rolls, It. The springs l l5 bear upon the rolls gg3 and the springs l4l6 upon the rolls g2 g4. The springs m3 m5 bear upon the rolls h h3 and the springs m4 m'3 upon the rolls lh The springs l Z5 are united at their bases by a plate, a3, of which they constitute a part, and tliefsprings l* lG by a similar plate, ZB. The plate its is supported by a horizontal bar, Z9, spanning the housings F F', and the plate l by a similar bar, o3. The springs in m5 are united at their buses by a plate, p3, of which they constitute a part, and the springs m4 mG by a similar plate, g3. The plate p3 is supported upon,a horizontal bar, p7, spanning the housings F F', and the plate qi* by a similar bar, g8. The springs Z3 t" are connected with the springs m3 m5 by wires r3 sito make electric connecticu, and the springs l4 l0 are connected with the springs m4 m6 by wires t3 a3 for the same purpose. The wire r3 or s is conuected with the pole-cup x, and the wire t3 or uf* with the pole-cup g, This arrangement is more simple in construction yand direct in operation than that before described.

I claiml. In combination with machinery `for coiling wires into a cable and the wires operated `on thereby, a battery, a signal, and electric connections between said signal and battery and between these latter parts, respectively, and the alternate wires aforesaid, whereby the IOO contact of two of thesc wires completes the circuit and operates the signal, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination oat' a battery with compressing-rolls electrically connected to one of its polesan insulated wire electrically connected to its other pole, and a signal forming; part of the circuit, whereby the Contact of said Wire with said rolls consrquent on the uncovering of said Wire will operate said signal, sub-- stantially as set forth.

3. The series G H of rolls, in combination with a battery and wires passing` between the rolls, each wire being of different polarity from the rolls between which it passes, and the alternate rolls on the same shaft being of the same polarity. Y

4. In combination with the wires a and z' and a battery and signal, the'reel I, supporting said Wires a at one end and making apart ofthe electric circuit, substantially as set forth.

5.In combination with the serie-s G H of rc1ls,vthe wires a., the reel I, the battery and Wires to constitute an electric circuit, and the bell or signal Q, substantially as set forth.

6. The wires a, polarized alternately in pairs of opposite polarity and connected at one end with the reel I, in combination with said reel, the battery, Wires i, and electrical connections, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with a battery, a signal and cable-Wires electrically' connected to said battery, the rolls forming series G H, each roll being insulated from thc roll nearest it, each alternate roll being insulated from its shaft, and said rolls being polarized alternately, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with Wires a and the battery, signal, and electrical connections, a pair of shafts and the rolls thereon, each shaft being connected to the pole ot a battery and serving the purpose of polarizing the rolls, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature iu presence of two witnesses.

'LOUIS FINGER.

Witnesses:

H. E. Lopera, F. G. SiMPs't'r" 

